1. Intolerance and discrimination
on grounds of religion or belief affect minority religious groups
in Europe, but also people belonging to majority religious groups.
Numerous acts of hostility, violence and vandalism have been recorded
in recent years against Christians and their places of worship,
but these acts are often overlooked by the national authorities.
Expression of faith is sometimes unduly limited by national legislation and
policies which do not allow the accommodation of religious beliefs
and practices.

2. The reasonable accommodation of religious beliefs and practices
constitutes a pragmatic means of ensuring the effective and full
enjoyment of freedom of religion. When it is applied in a spirit
of tolerance, this concept allows all religious groups to live in
harmony in the respect and acceptance of their diversity.

3. The Parliamentary Assembly has recalled on several occasions
the need to promote the peaceful coexistence of religious communities
in the member States, notably in Resolution 1846 (2011) on combating all
forms of discrimination based on religion, Recommendation 1962 (2011) on the
religious dimension of intercultural dialogue and Resolution 1928 (2013) on
safeguarding human rights in relation to religion and belief, and
protecting religious communities from violence.

4. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion is protected by
Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ETS No. 5)
and considered as one of the foundations of a democratic and pluralist
society. Limitations on the exercise of freedom of religion must
be restricted to those prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic
society.

5. The Assembly is convinced that measures should be taken to
ensure the effective enjoyment of the protection of freedom of religion
or belief afforded to every individual in Europe.

6. The Assembly therefore calls on the Council of Europe member
States to:

6.1. promote a culture
of tolerance and “living together” based on the acceptance of religious pluralism
and on the contribution of religions to a democratic and pluralist
society, but also on the right of individuals not to adhere to any
religion;

6.2. promote reasonable accommodation within the principle
of indirect discrimination so as to:

6.2.1. ensure that
the right of all individuals under their jurisdiction to freedom
of religion and belief is respected, without impairing for anyone
the other rights also guaranteed by the European Convention on Human
Rights;

6.2.2. uphold freedom of conscience in the workplace while ensuring
that access to services provided by law is maintained and the right
of others to be free from discrimination is protected;

6.2.3. respect the right of parents to provide their children
with an education in conformity with their religious or philosophical
convictions, while guaranteeing the fundamental right of children to
education in a critical and pluralistic manner in accordance with
the European Convention on Human Rights, its protocols and the case
law of the European Court of Human Rights;

6.2.4. enable Christians to fully participate in public life;

6.3. protect the peaceful exercise of freedom of assembly,
in particular through measures to ensure that counter-demonstrations
do not affect the right to demonstrate, in line with the guidelines
on freedom of assembly of the European Commission for Democracy
through Law (Venice Commission) and the Office for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe (OSCE/ODIHR);

6.4. uphold the fundamental right to freedom of expression
by ensuring national legislation does not unduly limit religiously
motivated speech;

6.5. publicly condemn the use of and incitement to violence,
as well as all forms of discrimination and intolerance on religious
grounds;

6.6. combat and prevent cases of violence, discrimination and
intolerance, in particular by carrying out effective investigations
in order to avoid any sense of impunity among the perpetrators;

6.7. encourage the media to avoid negative stereotyping and
communicating prejudices against Christians, in the same way as
for any other group;

6.8. ensure the protection of minority Christian communities
and allow such communities to be registered as a religious organisation,
and to establish and maintain meeting places and places of worship,
regardless of the number of believers and without any undue administrative
burden;

6.9. guarantee the enjoyment by minority Christian communities
of the right to publish and use religious literature.